Chicago 'Jazz' blow out Utah Jazz, 111-97

By Jody Genessy , Deseret News

Published: Saturday, March 10 2012 8:32 p.m. MST

Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson and Utah Jazz guard Alex Burks, front, battle for a loose ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Chicago, Saturday, March 10, 2012. The Bulls won 111-97. (Associated Press)

CHICAGO — They played an awfully familiar-looking talented team — perhaps the NBA's best — with starters including Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, a Turkish big man and an All-Star point guard.

And the visitors were without two of their own starters for different reasons, with Raja Bell out due to what the team is calling an "internal matter" and Devin Harris being sidelined with stomach flu.

Not surprisingly, the Chicago Jazz had their way with the undermanned and outmatched Utah Jazz.

Familiarity, in this case, bred a whole lot of points and production for the Bulls' three former Utah players in Chicago's 111-97 win at United Center.

Boozer had a game-high 27 points, Korver fired in six 3-pointers, which had to be painful for Jazz fans to watch swish in, and finished with 26 points. Brewer added 11 points with a late alley-oop dunk.

The Bulls' other starters played their parts well, too, as MVP Derrick Rose had 24 points and 13 assists and big man Omer Asik from Turkey added solid defense with two blocks.

Meanwhile, the Jazz's modge-podge lineup — Earl Watson and Gordon Hayward replaced Harris and Bell — struggled to get much of anything going while wrapping up their five-game road trip with a second blowout loss in a row.

Paul Millsap had a team-high 26 points, Al Jefferson added 16 and Josh Howard chipped in 15, but Utah didn't score more than 22 points in the first three quarters while falling behind by double digits.

They had even bigger problems on the defensive end, failing to contain Rose and experiencing all sorts of trouble with Boozer in the post and Korver on the perimeter.

As a team, the Bulls (34-9) shot 55.8 percent.

The Jazz return home to play Detroit on Monday after going 2-3 on this road trip and falling to 19-21.